For those who love an active holiday and the outdoors, Banja Luka and its surroundings hide a true treasure – from forest trails and meadows to river rapids and breathtaking views.
Destination
Banja Luka is a city that knows how to slow down time – just enough for you to truly feel it. Nestled in a valley through which the emerald-green Vrbas River flows, surrounded by forested hills, springs, and viewpoints, it offers a harmonious blend of urban life and nature within arm’s reach. It’s not noisy, yet it’s full of life. It’s not overhyped, yet it leaves a lasting impression.
For those who love an active holiday and the outdoors, Banja Luka and its surroundings hold a true wealth – from forest trails and meadows to river rapids and breathtaking views. The Vrbas Canyon is already a well-known rafting destination, but few people know just how rewarding this area is for cycling – whether through the flatlands or the more challenging mountain terrain.
One of the most beautiful routes leads right across Mount Manjača – a plateau dotted with pastures, forests, and old village paths, with views stretching all the way to the horizon. Nearby, you’ll also find cultural landmarks such as the birthplace of Petar Kočić, medieval stećak tombstones, churches, and monasteries hidden among the hills – ideal places for a short break and a deeper connection with the region.
This is an invitation to ride, but also to reconnect with nature. To explore – but without hurry. To embrace an adventure that nourishes both body and soul.
This is not a race, although all participants will receive a start number, purely for safety reasons, and will set off together. What follows is a shared ride, with everyone following the same route, but at their own pace and with the full support of the organizers.
Tourist highlights as well as hidden gems will unfold along the 48-kilometer route. Leaving the city center behind, the trail toward Stričići will reveal all the secrets and beauty of Mount Manjača, a place of remarkable natural and cultural treasures.
The return to Banja Luka will showcase many other attractive sites, offering all participants the chance to explore this region in a way that may be completely new to them.
Route
Mount Manjača, located southwest of Banja Luka, is a true haven for nature lovers, peace seekers, and fans of active holidays. Its vast pastures, dense forests, and fresh mountain air create the perfect environment to escape city noise and recharge your batteries. From the peaks of Manjača, breathtaking views stretch over surrounding valleys and mountain ranges, while numerous roads and trails running through its forests are ideal for exploring on two wheels. This mountain offers a blend of wild, untouched nature and complete silence – perfect for resetting both mind and body. Below, we’ll take you through one of its most interesting cycling routes.
The route begins at Lake Manjača, where a wide gravel road leads us toward the village of Radmanići, passing a small, picturesque lake nestled peacefully among the surrounding hills. The first climb serves as a light warm-up, after which the path continues to a forest area where an old necropolis of medieval stećci tombstones lies – silent witnesses of bygone times, overgrown with moss and forgotten stories. We then continue along a narrow asphalt road that gently ascends between pastures and cultivated fields, through a typical Bosnian mountain village. Riding across the vast plateau, to the right opens a view of Grčka Gradina – once the border between the Byzantine and Roman empires.
According to legend, Princess Jelena was tasked with defending her land against the mighty Roman army. When she climbed Grčka Gradina and saw the Roman legions approaching, she realized she could not withstand them. It is said she exclaimed: “E, Jelena, Jelena, this morning the snake bit you”. From this legend, the entire region came to be known as Zmijanje.
Leaving Grčka Gradina behind, we briefly cross a county road and continue toward the village of Stričići, the birthplace of one of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s most prominent writers – Petar Kočić. A narrow asphalt road takes us to his birthplace, now a memorial museum. This modest wooden house, with a shingle roof, is an authentic example of traditional Krajina architecture. Inside, it reflects the simple yet rich life of the Kočić family – with exhibits such as folk costumes, books, and tools from that time. This is also where the feed zone will be set up – a place for rest, refreshments, and recharging energy for the upcoming climb.
After a few kilometers riding across the plateau, with views of scattered farmhouses and endless pastures, we arrive at the Lokvari Mountain Lodge. From here, hiking trails branch out toward Velika Greda – the highest peak of Manjača. We continue our climb, leaving asphalt behind and switching to a wide gravel road that leads us to a spacious meadow. Here, we catch a narrow, well-trodden trail that dives into the forest. Ahead lies eight kilometers of true wilderness riding – untouched woodland, fresh air, and silence, occasionally interrupted by birdsong and the rustling of leaves under the wheels. Emerging from the forest, we rejoin a wide asphalt road and descend for the next four kilometers toward the village of Lusići. Although traffic here is not heavy, we recommend riding carefully and keeping your line, as speed can be deceptive on this descent.
In Lusići, just before an old stone church, we turn right off the asphalt and back onto gravel. If you make a short detour, it’s worth stopping to visit this modest yet architecturally interesting church, set in a peaceful, almost meditative environment. After the church, we briefly rejoin a county road whose winding serpentines lead back toward the lake. Unlike the previous section, traffic here is somewhat denser, and the downhill stretch is long and curvy – so take extra care, as it’s easy to get carried away by speed. After three kilometers, we turn left onto a narrow gravel road that, passing yet another small church, gently descends back to the lake. Here, well-deserved rest, relaxation, and refreshments with food and drinks await you – the perfect ending to this diverse and inspiring cycling tour.
Note: The Epic Rides route has been carefully designed with the principle that it never exceeds 50 km and 1,000 m of elevation gain (combined). Also, there are no technically demanding sections, and if they cannot be avoided due to the terrain, they are short, can be walked, and are additionally marked along the route.
Start location: Lake Manjača (Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina)
The route begins at Lake Manjača, where a wide gravel road leads us toward the village of Radmanići, passing a small, picturesque lake nestled peacefully among the surrounding hills. The first climb serves as a light warm-up, after which the path continues to a forest area where an old necropolis of medieval stećci tombstones lies – silent witnesses of bygone times, overgrown with moss and forgotten stories. We then continue along a narrow asphalt road that gently ascends between pastures and cultivated fields, through a typical Bosnian mountain village. Riding across the vast plateau, to the right opens a view of Grčka Gradina – once the border between the Byzantine and Roman empires.
According to legend, Princess Jelena was tasked with defending her land against the mighty Roman army. When she climbed Grčka Gradina and saw the Roman legions approaching, she realized she could not withstand them. It is said she exclaimed: “E, Jelena, Jelena, this morning the snake bit you”. From this legend, the entire region came to be known as Zmijanje.
Leaving Grčka Gradina behind, we briefly cross a county road and continue toward the village of Stričići, the birthplace of one of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s most prominent writers – Petar Kočić. A narrow asphalt road takes us to his birthplace, now a memorial museum. This modest wooden house, with a shingle roof, is an authentic example of traditional Krajina architecture. Inside, it reflects the simple yet rich life of the Kočić family – with exhibits such as folk costumes, books, and tools from that time. This is also where the feed zone will be set up – a place for rest, refreshments, and recharging energy for the upcoming climb.
After a few kilometers riding across the plateau, with views of scattered farmhouses and endless pastures, we arrive at the Lokvari Mountain Lodge. From here, hiking trails branch out toward Velika Greda – the highest peak of Manjača. We continue our climb, leaving asphalt behind and switching to a wide gravel road that leads us to a spacious meadow. Here, we catch a narrow, well-trodden trail that dives into the forest. Ahead lies eight kilometers of true wilderness riding – untouched woodland, fresh air, and silence, occasionally interrupted by birdsong and the rustling of leaves under the wheels. Emerging from the forest, we rejoin a wide asphalt road and descend for the next four kilometers toward the village of Lusići. Although traffic here is not heavy, we recommend riding carefully and keeping your line, as speed can be deceptive on this descent.
In Lusići, just before an old stone church, we turn right off the asphalt and back onto gravel. If you make a short detour, it’s worth stopping to visit this modest yet architecturally interesting church, set in a peaceful, almost meditative environment. After the church, we briefly rejoin a county road whose winding serpentines lead back toward the lake. Unlike the previous section, traffic here is somewhat denser, and the downhill stretch is long and curvy – so take extra care, as it’s easy to get carried away by speed. After three kilometers, we turn left onto a narrow gravel road that, passing yet another small church, gently descends back to the lake. Here, well-deserved rest, relaxation, and refreshments with food and drinks await you – the perfect ending to this diverse and inspiring cycling tour.
Note: The Epic Rides route has been carefully designed with the principle that it never exceeds 50 km and 1,000 m of elevation gain (combined). Also, there are no technically demanding sections, and if they cannot be avoided due to the terrain, they are short, can be walked, and are additionally marked along the route.
Start location: Lake Manjača (Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina)
EPIC RIDES
Distance: 46 km
Ascent: 820 m
Offroad: 38 %
SHORT
Distance: 35 km
Ascent: 560 m
Offroad: 32 %
Gallery
Additional
The organizer of EPIC RIDES events in Bosnia and Herzegovina is Adria Bike partner Bono d.o.o., and the Terms of Participation published on the epicrides.ba website apply to this event. The Terms of Participation for EPIC RIDES events in the Republic of Croatia, organized by Adria Bike, do not apply to this event.
Registration for the event can only be made via the epicrides.ba website.